Black Moon
by Aunt Bran
Summary: Adventures in the life of Emmalie Hale Cullen, adopted daughter of Emmett and Rosalie, and Will Black, teenaged son of Bella and Jacob.
1. Chapter 1

Black Moon

Chapter 1, Emmalie and Will

Will Black was having a tough day, which seemed to be the norm lately. At 16, he was tall for his age and had his father's black hair and dark eyes but his mother's lighter complexion. He sometimes felt he didn't quite fit anywhere, neither on the reservation nor in the rest of the world. Feeling restless, he pushed and held the "1" on his cell phone.

Emmalie was always cheerful. "Hi, Will – what's up?" she chirped. "Nothing, as usual," he replied mournfully. "What are you doing?" Emmalie replied that her Uncle Jasper was helping her with Civil War research for her term paper. They exchanged a wink. Emmalie just might be the only human being who knew that Jasper had actually served in the Civil War before he became a vampire. There were some secrets you couldn't even share with your very best friend.

Will continued grumbling. "My parents just left for the tribal council, _holding hands_ for heaven's sake. It's embarrassing, Em."

Emmalie laughed. "Now, Will, I think it's great that your parents are still so crazy over each other. They've been married for all these years and have three kids – how many of your friends' parents are divorced?"

Will was determined not to be cheered up. "I'm stuck babysitting – want to come over for a while?" She could hear his little sisters in the background, laughing and calling her name. "Okay, I'll let Jazz finish my homework." Of course, she knew better, but she did love to tease him. "Let me just check with my dad."

Emmet was Emmalie's favorite person in the world. To her, he was a gigantic teddy bear. From the time she was a tiny baby, she had him wrapped around her little finger. He and Rosalie had been careful to shield her from their fierce vampire selves. When family members went out to feed on animals, they always hunted in groups and left some of the clan at home with Emmalie. She had noticed pretty early that her family was different, in many ways, from those of her friends.

Some of those differences were more positive than you might expect. Generally speaking, vampires might not be considered good role models. Yet Emmalie's family was a caring, nurturing unit, unified in their wish for her to have a happy and normal life. And she did. Em knew she was adopted, and she was aware that all the other residents of her home were vampires. According to her birth certificate, Emmet and Rosalie were her parents, and her humanity tended to shield the family from the usual scrutiny. After 30 or 40 years, people notice when someone fails to get older. Her "grandparents" were in their 30's, and parents, aunts and uncles were all about her age. It was other families that seemed strange to Emmalie; she simply took it for granted that she was the only one changing in her world.

She found Emmet in the living room, watching a football game. When her entry failed to distract him from the game, she gave him an affectionate peck on the cheek and that succeeded in bringing an instant smile to his face. "Hey, Dad, okay if I go over to the reservation for a while? I'll be back for dinner."

He was so predictable. "Homework done?" Emmalie grinned at him. "No, Dad, I asked Jasper to do it for me. See you in a little while."

Esme and Rosalie had fun cooking for Emmalie. They delighted in finding new recipes and bustling around the kitchen now, though the room was virtually unused before she came to live with them. Even Alice would occasionally bake a batch of her favorite cookies, always to be shared with Will and their friends. The big house would seem empty with Emmalie going off to college next year, and everyone dreaded the prospect though they knew it was a natural step.

"If Mom gets back while I'm gone, tell her I took the brownies to Will and the girls," Emmalie yelled as she ran out the door. If she didn't share the bounty with the Black kids, she knew she could easily balloon out of her size four wardrobe. The good news in that scenario would mean that Alice would have a new excuse to take her shopping. Of course, Will could eat non-stop and stay fit and trim, just like his father.

She jumped in her car and backed carefully out of the garage. The other Cullens drove like maniacs, but they were virtually unbreakable. They all insisted that Emmalie wear her seatbelt and drive carefully. She playfully called them hypocrites but was secretly glad that they cared. She was allowed to drive their sporty cars once in a while, for a special occasion, but her Volvo was designed to protect her from harm and was her usual mode of transportation.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2, The Black Kids

When Emmalie arrived at the Blacks' house on the reservation, the girls were outside waiting for her. Izzy was ten, and she was the image of her mother. Jacob had insisted on naming her Isabella, so the nickname was designed to avoid confusion with her mom. The youngest, Laura, was eight. She had her dad's black hair and dark eyes, as well as his olive complexion, and she was as serious as Izzy was flighty.

Will and Emmalie got the girls settled in the dining room with brownies and milk, so they could sit and have a chat. They shared everything, and their favorite topic of conversation was parents. Emmalie was trying to prepare her family for the fact that she would be leaving for college, and Will wasn't taking it well either. Of course he had friends on the reservation, but there were some subjects he could only discuss with his best friend.

"My dad isn't too crazy about the college idea," he confided. "I'd really like to get a degree and get off this reservation." Will was painfully aware that he was only half Quileute Indian, and he had no aspirations about taking over his father's position as chief. He'd always wanted to be a police officer like Bella's father, and it was a sore subject with both his parents. He was a good student and could certainly qualify for a scholarship if he put his mind to it.

"Are you actually going all the way to med school, Em?" Will asked. Emmalie had never wavered; there was no Plan B. "Yep, when I decide to grow up I want to be just like Carlisle," Emmalie replied. She had so much respect for her 'grandfather,' knowing the difficulties he faced as a caring doctor who just happened to be a vampire. He was her hero, and she couldn't imagine having more respect for anyone, human or otherwise.

Will knew that the Cullens were strange in some ways, but he could never put his finger on it. And it wasn't something they could discuss. He was still unaware of the monsters in his own family, though at 16 he would be introduced to the stories the elders of his tribe would tell about the wolves and the "cold ones," and at that point all the pieces would come together for him. It would be so much easier not to have secrets between him and Emmalie, and she looked forward to the day when it would all be out in the open.

"I've been thinking, Will," Emmalie said. "Washington State has a Criminal Justice program, and if you get your act together I'm sure you can get a scholarship. You'll only be a year behind me, so we can be together again. What do you think?" Before he could really digest the idea, Izzy landed on him like a frisky puppy, and that was the end of their alone time.

After indulging the girls in a game of Cootie, Emmalie had to extricate herself and head on home. Though she was the only Cullen who ate, dinnertime was family time around the large dining room table. Whoever happened to be at home gathered around the table for talking, laughing, and sharing their day. It might not be your typical family dinner, but it was home, and they all looked forward to this time together.

The entire family was there today. Esme had made lasagna, and Emmalie teased that there was enough to feed the whole wolf pack.

Alice asked after the Black kids, and Emmalie explained that Will had been out of sorts lately. Carlisle suggested, "He's 16 now, isn't he? We've all wondered if he might become a wolf one day, even though he's only half Quileute." Jasper agreed that might explain his recent moodiness and added "I'll be glad when he learns the family stories and finally gets answers to all his questions. He's at an age when he needs to focus, and it's hard with all this conflict in his life."

It was Rosalie and Emmett's turn to clean up after dinner, so Emmalie skipped off with Edward for a game of chess. It was a very challenging game in this household, where Edward could read her mind and Alice could see the future, but that just made it more fun.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3, Emmalie

Emmalie, at 17, was just beginning to date, and it would take some getting used to in her household. Of course they had known the day would come, but they felt she was too trusting. She had led a sheltered life, with her extended family treating her as if she were made of glass. In actual fact, compared to them she was extremely breakable.

A group of friends was planning to go to a concert on Friday night. Emmalie was supposed to pick up her friend Brad on the way, then meet the rest of the gang at the theater. Brad was a year older than the rest of the group, and Emmalie had a crush on him. He was a football player, blonde, blue-eyed and handsome. He always had a group of girls following him, but for some reason he had taken a shine to Emmalie. They had been together at a few parties and get-togethers, but they had never actually been on an official date, alone together.

Brad's house was certainly off the beaten track. The sun had set when she finally arrived at his door, and there was no sign of life outside. Emmalie locked her car and approached the house slowly. There was a light on inside, so she rapped on the door.

Emmalie never saw the rock that struck the back of her head, but just as she lost consciousness Alice screamed in the Cullen living room. Both Alice and Edward lost contact with Emmalie at the exact moment she lost consciousness and suffered twin panic attacks. Even if Brad had somehow figured out that the Cullens were vampires, he was unaware of their special mind reading talents. It could be a costly mistake to underestimate them.

It was the longest half hour of their very long lives. When Emmalie's eyes opened, she realized she was tied to a chair in what appeared to be a basement, and she had a horrendous headache. Her first conscious thought was "Edward, Alice, I'm okay, but I need your help!" It was frustrating that this communication was one way, so she had to concentrate on what they'd need to know in order to find her. She had a lot of trouble finding the house, so the address was imprinted firmly in her brain. She sent the address mentally to her family and hoped that her supernatural cavalry would arrive very soon.

Carlisle was trying to get enough information from Edward to know the extent of Emmalie's injuries. He knew she'd been hit on the head, and that she had a headache, but that was all he could grasp.

When Brad reappeared only minutes later, Emmalie was certain that it was too soon for any rescuers. As Brad walked toward her, she had to ask, "Why, Brad? What did I ever do to you? What do you want?"

As he came closer, she was horrified to see that he held a gun. He sneered at her and snapped, "Poor little rich girl. I suspect your family will pay anything I ask, thinking they'll get you back in one piece." She didn't like the insinuation, nor the chilling smirk on his face. And it was beginning to register that Brad might be something other than human, with his appearing and disappearing around the closed door.

All Emmalie could think to do was try and stall him. She didn't know if he had called her family yet with a ransom demand, and apparently he was unaware that she could send a psychic distress call. "Won't the others wonder where we are?" she asked. His smile was cold as he said "No, I told them we had decided to go to a movie, just the two of us." This guy apparently had no idea what kind of trouble he was bringing down on himself. Even Emmalie would underestimate the degree of tribulation that could be caused by an infuriated group of vampires, especially with the possibility of an oversized wolf or two in the mix.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4, Rescue

The cellar door disintegrated with an ear splitting crash, and Emmalie gasped at Emmett's terrifying visage and his murderous rage as he crashed through the door, splintering the wood and pulverizing the walls on each side of the door. Rosalie was right behind him, a blonde blur of homicidal maniac, followed by a ferocious wolf of unbelievable size. The room was instantly filled to capacity with snapping, snarling monsters. Emmalie had a split second to reflect on her gratitude that these fearsome creatures were friends of hers.

As Brad turned to confront the commotion, the wolf got to him first, lunging at him with a terrifying howl, and its massive jaws snapped closed on nothing. One second he was there, the next he was gone. Just like that.

Emmalie had recognized the huge wolf as Jacob before he turned and bounded up the stairs, following the unfamiliar scent through the house and out the shattered front door, as Emmett and Rosalie untied her. Jake had responded instantly to Alice's call, and he sprang out the door after a quick aside to Bella, "Emmalie's in trouble and needs my help. Don't say anything to the kids."

Emmett carried Emmalie up the stairs, transformed into her gentle dad once more, then out to the car and straight to the hospital where Carlisle waited for them. Emmalie was severely shaken, both by her frightening experience and by the violence of her rescue. She had never seen this side of her adoptive parents, and it had well and truly frightened her.

Carlisle examined her head wound and insisted that she spend the night in the hospital, where he would stay with her. He suspected that she had a concussion but was thankful when an X-ray confirmed there was no fracture. He urged the others to go home and do some research. Apparently, there was some new kind of monster at large in Forks besides the vampires and wolves they knew about. It seemed unlikely he would try to harm Emmalie again, but they would take no chances with her safety.

The next day Carlisle took Emmalie home. He took the opportunity, in his car, to express his regret that the family had exposed her to harm. "We've always been able to shield you from the dangers of our world until now. But you'll be more vulnerable now that you're growing up and becoming more independent. Just remember that we'll always be here for you."

Emily took his cold hand in her warm one. As a member of a large extended family, she had always enjoyed getting Carlisle to herself for a while. They were kindred spirits, and she hoped some day to be as good a doctor (and as good a person) as he was.

"I'm a very lucky girl," she replied. "I have an awesome family who would do anything for me. And apparently, they're a force to be reckoned with," she joked wryly. "Don't worry about me, Carlisle. I'll do my best to deserve your trust and your love. And NEVER apologize for being my family. I love you, ya know." He squeezed her hand, though very gently.

"On a lighter note," Carlisle said, "what's this I hear from your mom about medical school?" Emmalie smiled. "It's no big secret, I guess. I've always wanted to follow you into the family business. And I'm trying to talk Will into joining me at Washington State. They have a Criminal Justice program, and I think he'll always need a friend nearby. Of course, I'd have one too. He's a good kid."

"Yes, he is," Carlisle agreed. "His parents are good people, with strong family values. Under different circumstances, I think we all could have been good friends."

"Well, our generation isn't bound by your old taboos," Emmalie replied, a little testily. "In fact, Will doesn't know anything about them. I suspect he'll be initiated into tribal customs soon, and I hope it doesn't prove to be too traumatic for him." "The important thing is, you'll be there for him," Carlisle suggested. "And now, here we are – get ready to be pampered. I can see the welcoming committee coming to greet you." He smooched her on the forehead and flew around to open her door.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5, Will

Emmalie was finally situated in her room, and the vampires drifted off, one by one, to let her rest. Emmett was the last to leave. He just couldn't shake off the vision of his little girl, terrified and tied to a chair, that had burned itself into his memory. As he sat next to her bed, Emmalie drifted off to sleep, only to jump up a moment later with a muffled scream.

"Shhh, Baby, you're safe now. I won't let anything hurt you," Emmett murmured. Emmalie wrapped herself in the quilt and climbed onto Emmett's lap, just as she had when she was five years old. This was the safest place she had known, all her life, secure in his big arms and resting her head against his chest. She finally slept peacefully.

Carlisle and Esme were in the kitchen, getting a start on dinner, when Carlisle asked, "Do you remember how inseparable Bella and Jacob were as teenagers? It's beginning to look like Emmalie and Will have the same kind of relationship. They both have other friends, but they have a special bond." Esme observed, "They could do worse. It seems like everyone in this family forms lifelong relationships early in life. Look at our kids – Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice – and even ourselves! I still worship the ground you walk on, you know." She smiled, and Carlisle kissed her gently. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm a lucky man," he murmured.

Meanwhile, at the Black house Bella was anxiously awaiting Jacob's return. After all these years, she was accustomed to his phasing into wolf form and his lupine activities, but she still worried about her best friend when he was away from her. She knew he had a stash of clothing in the garage, and she ran to greet him when he came in the back door, clad only in cutoff jeans. She caught herself just before telling him it was cold outside, knowing he'd make fun of her for her lack of confidence in his strength. She opted instead for throwing her arms around him and kissing him soundly. "What was that for?" he asked, with mischief in his eyes. Will, who had just entered the room, backed out, pretending to retch. Izzy and Laura ran to Jacob and tackled him, and he fell on the floor, pretending to be overpowered. "Okay, girls, kiss Daddy good night and go brush your teeth. It's bed time," their mother reminded them.

Jacob picked up one squirming pajama-clad daughter under each arm and carried them to their room. They didn't need books for bedtime stories in the Black household. Jake was a natural storyteller, and he told the girls wonderful stories about birds and animals, or about the Quileutes of long ago. When he finished telling their favorite story, about the Dream Horse, he kissed them and turned on their night light, then closed the door.

Will was in the kitchen with Bella when Jacob came back. She was waiting to hear what had happened with the Cullens, but she didn't know if Jake would want to talk about it in front of Will.

"Emmalie's fine now, but she had a close call tonight," Jacob explained. He knew that it was time for Will to learn the tribe's history and become familiar with their secrets. At sixteen, Jacob himself had first phased into wolf form, and he didn't know if Will would inherit the gene or not. It seemed unlikely, since he was only half Quileute, but he needed to be told.

Jacob wove the two stories together, explaining about the "cold ones" and the wolves as he described the evening's activities. Will was alternately fascinated by the story and upset about his friend. He seemed to become increasingly agitated as the story unfolded. "So, Dad, when can I see your wolf?" he finally asked. "That is so cool! And are all the other wolves in the tribe old guys like you?" Bella couldn't contain the smirk that played at the corners of her mouth. Jake explained, "I guess we seem old to you, Will, but at 36 I think I have a few good years left in me. The only time new wolves have appeared is when the tribe is threatened, and the Cullens have been the only vampires in the area for a long time now. The other wolves are Sam, Paul, Quil, Embry, Leah…"

Will was stunned. "Leah? Are you kidding? A _girl_?"

"I don't make the rules, son. And it's very important that you never talk about any of this with people outside the tribe. Of course, the Cullens are an exception, since our pack has had a sort of working relationship with their coven in the past. And we have that treaty with them. Emmalie knows all this, and she'll be relieved to know that you've been told.

"Um, Dad, are you trying to tell me that Emmalie is a vampire?"

Jake shook his head. "No, Will, Emmalie was adopted by Emmett and Rosalie when she was a little baby. She's the only human in the Cullen house. She's had strict instructions not to discuss these matters too. Now I think it's time for all of us to say good night. I know you'll have more questions tomorrow."

As Bella tried to get to sleep that night, she worried that Will had been given an awful lot to think about. Wasn't it tough enough to be a sixteen-year-old boy? But she trusted Jacob's judgment, and his instincts had always proven to be sound. She sighed as she cuddled up to her softly snoring wolf-man and drifted off as his arms unconsciously clasped her in his warm embrace.

In the next room, Will was tossing and turning. The unrest he had been feeling earlier was deepening, and he suddenly needed fresh air. He opened the window, tumbled out into the yard, and immediately felt a popping, grinding sensation flow through his body. A large silver wolf, finally free of its puny human body, bounded off into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6, Wolf

Emmalie was disoriented when an eerie howl woke her from a sound sleep. It sounded close, like it was right outside her window. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, she realized she was still wrapped in a quilt and cradled in her father's arms. She moved just her eyes, not wanting to disturb him, and saw Rosalie sitting on her bed, smiling at her. "Oh, yeah, no worries about waking you guys," Emmalie breathed. She tended to forget sometimes that her parents didn't sleep. "How long have I been sleeping?"

Rosalie told her it was about 4 a.m. and she'd been sleeping for several hours. "I guess you needed the rest, if you could sleep on that big old boulder," she joked.

Suddenly remembering what had woken her, Emmalie asked if they had heard the howl outside the window. Of course, with their sensitive vampire hearing, they had. "I have a funny feeling that's Will," Emmalie said. "If so, I hope he had a talk with Uncle Jake before he turned. And, most of all, I hope he understands why I've been forced to keep secrets from him."

Emmalie insisted she could sleep in her own bed for the rest of the night. She was a little embarrassed to be climbing in Dad's lap at her age. Emmett deposited her in her bed and she managed to fall asleep, safe and secure in her own home.

The next morning, when Bella went to Will's room to wake him for school, she found him tangled in the sheets with muddy feet sticking out from under the covers. It was pretty obvious what had happened during the night, and his window was still wide open. She decided he could use a day off, as well as a long talk with his father, so she let him sleep.

The girls, like Will, went to school on the reservation. It was only a couple of blocks, and they walked together. After Bella got them out the door, she found Jacob getting dressed. She told him that it looked like Will had made the wolf transformation during the night, and she thought he might want to talk to his dad. Jake said he'd call Embry and tell him he'd be late to work at the garage, but in the meantime Will had disappeared again. They had a good idea where he'd be, so Jake headed out to work for the time being. He figured he'd catch up with Will later.

Will was knocking on the Cullens' door by 8:30 that morning. He wanted to make sure Emmalie was really okay, and then he wanted to kill her. How could she have kept such huge secrets from him all these years? Alice let him in, holding her breath to avoid the wet dog smell that clung to him, and tactfully disappeared as soon as he found Emmalie in the living room.

"Was that you outside my window last night?" she asked.

"I can't tell you – it's a secret," Will answered spitefully.

"I'm sorry, Will, but you know it was never my story to tell. I'm sure you've been told not to go blabbing around Forks about vampires and wolves."

"Yes, I have, but it doesn't apply to my _best friend_," he insisted. "I just can't believe I thought we shared everything, all these years, and it was a one-way street. I'm so disappointed in you. And I'm more than disappointed – I'm mad!"

At the sound of his raised voice, Jasper strolled by, bringing instant calming in his wake. "I don't mean to interfere, Will, but if I wanted to confide in someone I think I'd choose someone I know can keep a secret," he suggested. Will would not be pacified. Jasper had headed off the possible wolf crisis, but without another word, Will stomped out the door.

"Oh, Jazz, am I a bad friend?" It was just too much for Emmalie, and she started to cry. Jasper wiped her tears with his sleeve. "Of course you did the right thing, Sugar," he drawled. He was the only person who ever called her that. "He'll stomp out and think about it, and he'll finally decide you were right, then everything will be back to normal again. It's good for your relationship to have a fight once in a while," he said, smiling, "just look at me and your Aunt Alice."

Right on cue, Alice came bouncing into the room and jumped off the floor and into Jasper's arms without warning. Though she was supposed to be the mind reader, he always seemed to anticipate her moves and caught her in midair. "And make sure he knows you're always right, just like me!" she grinned. "Keeps him in line," she added with a wink and a kiss on the end of Jasper's nose. "Now go see what those vampires are up to in the kitchen. I think they're baking you some treats." Jasper wrinkled his nose and cocked his head, then pronounced "I'm guessing chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. If Will gets a whiff of them, he'll be back soon."

But he didn't come back, and Emmalie felt worse as the long day wore on. She wished her parents had let her go to school today, but they promised she could return tomorrow. Someone would drop her off there and pick her up for the time being, just for safety's sake. "Hmmph, have you ever noticed how you people drive?" she grumped. "I think I'd be safer driving myself." Rosalie knew why she was so grouchy, so she just smiled and said "You know we're very careful when you're in the car, Em. Even Edward can drive like a gentleman when he has to."

Will had gone for a run in the forest. It was so liberating, watching the miles melt away under his muscular legs. This was the coolest thing that had ever happened to him. Just as he decided to turn around and head home, he heard another wolf in his head. He recognized Jacob's voice, just as he saw him coming over a rise. Jacob's wolf was enormous, a reddish brown color, and very graceful. Of course, he'd had years of practice.

Will projected his thoughts toward Jacob: _"Dad, this is awesome! I've never felt so powerful, so free!" _

"_I don't want to lecture, Will, but, like all privileges, it comes with big responsibilities to the tribe and to the earth. Never forget that you're connected to all your brother and sister wolves by this telepathy, and that there's a reason you've been given this gift. You're to protect your family and friends and never harm anyone." _

They ran together like the wind, arriving at the house just as Bella came out the back door with a laundry basket. She gave them a stern look and insisted that they hose themselves down before going in the house, and she tossed them each a towel to wrap around them. "Oh, yeah, and never forget that tiny human can cut you right down to size, no matter how fierce you think you are," Jake chuckled affectionately as he phased effortlessly back to human form. "Her motto is 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall.'"

When they were clean enough to pass Bella's inspection, they came in the house to get dressed. Will had a hundred questions, and Jacob tried to answer them all. He told Will that he was calling a meeting of the tribal council, and it would be the first time he would hear the tribe's history as it was passed down in stories over the years. Jake suggested that he might want to invite Emmalie. She was an exception to most of the tribe's rules and it was accepted that she knew their secrets. Will didn't reply, but he had no plans to forgive her that quickly.

Both Will and Jacob were ravenous. When dinner was over, Bella laughed and pointed out that leftovers seemed to be a thing of the past for this family. Will was disappointed to find that his new status didn't affect taking his turn to clean up the dishes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7, Council

Everyone managed to get through the rest of the school/work week. Emmalie went to school and immersed herself in the work she loved, though she was still skittish. But she missed Will. Will went to school as well, though he was preoccupied and jumpy. He tried to concentrate on his studies, since he really wanted to earn a scholarship. But he missed Emmalie. They usually talked every day after school, and both of them were being stubborn.

The Black family was watching a Disney movie together on Friday night, except for Will, who was playing a game on the family computer in the kitchen. Bella was absentmindedly playing with Jacob's hair. He kept it long mostly because she liked it that way, but it was usually safely tied up in a ponytail or a braid when he was working at the garage.

He and Embry did a pretty good business there, selling gas and repairing cars and trucks. Will seemed to have an aptitude for mechanical work, and he helped out on Saturdays in exchange for parts for his old pickup truck. He was fixing it up with his dad's help, hoping to get his license when he turned seventeen. Most of his friends already drove, but Will's parents felt sixteen was a little young, especially with all those reckless Cullens on the road. Parents could be a pain sometimes.

"Ow!" Jacob jumped. "Sorry, found a gray one" Bella chuckled. "Shhh!" Izzy warned with a frown. Bella was fighting a case of the giggles, and Jake added fuel by grumping "Don't DO that – it hurts!" Bella reached for his hair again, murmuring something about a touchy monster, and he grabbed her wrist in midair. Just then Laura stood up, put her hands on her hips, and in a perfect imitation of her mother intoned "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!" That did it. Bella lost it. She laughed until tears rolled down her face, so she didn't see the identical eye rolls from Jake and Will, who had peeked in to see what was going on.

Later, after the girls were tucked in, Jake and Bella were sitting on the porch, enjoying the peaceful, moonlit night. They loved their life on the reservation and felt it was a great place to raise their children. Jake said "I called Emmalie today and invited her to the tribal council tomorrow. I don't know if she'll come, but I wanted her to know she's welcome."

"Oh, Jake, do you think that's a good idea?" Bella asked. He nodded. "We can't very well invite vampires to our tribal council, but we do have some common interests. I figure Emmalie can represent her family, and I made it clear that's what she'd be doing."

"But what about Will?" Bella wanted to know. Jake said thoughtfully, "He's going to have to resolve his issues with Emmalie in his own time, but right now he needs to get over himself. He's had a lot to digest, and there will be more of that tomorrow night." Bella knew he was right, but Will was still only sixteen, and he was still her little boy in some ways even though he was growing at an alarming rate.

Saturday night arrived, with no communication between Emmalie and Will. As the sun set, Jacob met Edward at the reservation's border and Emmalie was handed off to ride with him to the council meeting. Jacob promised to call the Cullen house when the meeting was over, though he warned it might be late. The campfire was blazing, and Jacob took his place next to his father. Emmalie sat down next to Will, who pointedly ignored her.

Billy Black started reciting the tales of ancient times, when the cold ones killed so many of the Quileute people and the wolves first appeared. It was a harrowing, sad story, and it was difficult for Emily to listen to. Will was taking it all in and seemed fascinated. At some point he realized that Emmalie was crying softly, listening to the story about the third wife. Without a word, he put his arm around her and drew her close to his warm body. They still did not speak, neither one wanting to miss any of the story.

The chiefs and elders took turns, and as the story got nearer to the present time, Jacob took over his part of the narrative. He told about the treaty with the Cullens and the cooperation between the two families. The end of his story was chilling. He reported that the signs pointed to a new kind of monster in their midst now. A new wolf had been added to the pack, which had only ever happened when the pack was threatened. And the Cullens' daughter had been kidnapped by a being that did not appear to be human or vampire.

When the storytellers were finished, Jacob let Will and Emmalie walk back to the house, assuming that she would be safe with him and that they needed to talk. They did not walk hand in hand, as they always had. They were both still hurt and disappointed, but they recognized that this setback was not sufficient to end their lifelong friendship.

Emmalie was the first to apologize. As they walked along side by side, and at the same time miles apart, she tried again to explain. "Will, you're my best friend, and I'm sorry I hurt you. But I just couldn't betray the trust your parents and my parents placed in me. I've always known about the vampires; I can't remember _not_ knowing. It's not even weird in my mind. I'm adopted, I have a large, loving, extended family, and they're all vampires. It's the soft, fragile, human parents who are strange in my world. So the werewolves fit right in, no questions asked. But it was your parents' choice as to when you would be told all these things. Can't you see that?"

"I guess so, Em. I was just so hurt and confused. It's not an excuse, but my world has been turned upside down this week. I'll talk to my parents about what I feel I should have been told, and when, but it's not your responsibility. I'm sorry, too."

Bella smiled as she saw them coming up the driveway, hand in hand. They were so much like she and Jake had been at their age, before it ever occurred to them to fall in love. She said a little prayer to whatever gods were listening, that each of them would find a soul mate as she and Jake had done. Will rode along when Jacob took Emily back to meet Edward, and they parted with a hug.

None of the wolf people slept well that night. As the embers of the ceremonial fire slowly died away, they were all restless and uneasy. They awoke early the next morning to the alarming news that Leah had never arrived at home after the council meeting. Even more frightening was the fact that, when Sam shifted into wolf form to try and contact her telepathically, he failed to find a trace of her. Jacob tried next, with the same result. Everyone hoped she would turn up during the day, because they knew it would take a seriously scary monster to harm a werewolf, especially on the reservation.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8, Leah

It was time to have a talk with Charlie Swan. Billy drove Sue Clearwater over to the Forks police station to file an official missing persons report. They had to start somewhere. It would have been a lot more difficult if Charlie knew Leah was a werewolf, but fortunately he was in the dark. Charlie lived in absolute denial of anything supernatural. He was not happy to hear about Emmalie's attack, nor the fact that the Cullens had failed to report it, and there was no tactful way to assure him that the vampires and wolves had handled it. No one, especially his daughter, wanted to be the first to inform him that he lived among all kinds of monsters.

They knew Brad had not been back to the house where they found Emmalie. The wolves had been taking turns watching the house, and they were looking for Brad's scent in ever-widening circles.

Charlie asked the usual questions. In reply, Sue explained that Leah had been sitting with friends at the tribal council – Quil, Embry, Paul, and her younger brother, Seth. She and Embry had been dating for years, and they ordinarily would have left together. But Leah and Emily had stayed behind to tidy up and then walked off in different directions, each toward her own house. Emily got home before midnight, but no one noticed Leah's absence until morning. Sue went by her room and found that her bed had not been slept in. She immediately called Embry, who had not seen Leah since the meeting.

Unfortunately, on the reservation, Leah's scent was everywhere. This was her home. Any assailant would have to have taken her completely by surprise, because once she phased into a wolf (and she was quick!) she was much too fast and powerful to be threatened by a mere human.

By Saturday night, the vampires had joined the hunt. Both groups were organized in teams, frantically searching the reservation and the surrounding forest, to no avail. The call came on Sunday morning. Charlie was at home, and the chief from a neighboring town called him to report that they had found a "floater" who matched Leah's description. With a heavy heart, Charlie called Jake and asked if he'd go with him to identify the body if it turned out to be Leah.

Sue Clearwater saw the solemn procession approaching her house, and she knew what it meant. Charlie and Jake had asked Bella to come with them. Sue greeted them at the door, accompanied by Seth and his wife, who was weeping softly. Before Charlie could speak, Sue found her voice and spoke to the group, "Please find the person who did this to my daughter." She stepped aside to allow them to enter her home, and everyone took a seat in the pleasantly appointed living room.

Charlie began, "Sue, I'm so sorry for your loss, but I need to tell you a couple of things. First of all, the coward who shot your daughter surprised her from behind. I'm sure she never knew what hit her, if that's any consolation. And the medical examiner will have to perform an autopsy; it's required by law."

Sue listened stoically, the only emotion betrayed by a single tear that rolled down her cheek and was impatiently swatted away. "Charlie, I have only one request. Would it be possible for Dr. Cullen to perform the autopsy? I know it's irregular, but it would mean a lot to me."

Charlie agreed to see what he could do. He had no idea that the request was to avoid the possibility of a medical examiner discovering something unusual in Leah's blood or bone structure that would raise questions about the tribe. The fact that Leah was part wolf was a private matter, and Sue knew Dr. Cullen was the soul of discretion. He had donated his services before for the peculiar medical needs of the werewolves.

When the sad group had taken their leave, Sue went into her bedroom to use the phone. She called the Cullens' house, and Carlisle answered. Edward had warned him that it was Sue and that she had terrible news.

"Dr. Cullen it's Sue Clearwater. I don't know if you've heard, but my daughter's body was found this morning. The law requires an autopsy, but you and I both know that could be perilous to our tribe. I'm calling to ask if there is any way you could perform the autopsy. I know it's a large favor to ask, but it would provide some peace for us at this time." She seemed to be forcing the words out in a rush, afraid to slow down long enough to actually absorb them.

"Mrs. Clearwater, I am so sorry for your loss. My family and I will do anything we can to help. I'll talk to the ME today, and I'll let you know the results of our conversation as soon as I can. Please let me know if there's anything else we can do."

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen. Apparently, there's nothing any of us can do," Sue said sadly.

When Carlisle hung up the phone, Esme was at his elbow. "What a terrible thing, Carlisle. I wish there were something we could do to help." Carlisle nodded his agreement, already dialing the medical examiner's number from memory. He was organizing his thoughts around an idea he'd been working on for some time. Maybe now was the time to act on it. Carlisle could not escape the unwelcome thought that this could have been his Emmalie.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9, The End

It turned out there was no problem with the autopsy. The medical examiner was away and gladly gave his permission to Dr. Cullen. Carlisle's findings contained no surprises. The cause of death was a bullet to the brain, shot at close range. She was dead before she was thrown in the water.

As plans were being made for Leah's funeral, Emmalie was making her contribution to the investigation in her area of expertise, the computer. She was convinced that Brad was human, and this certainly seemed to be more of his dirty work. He had not been back to school, of course, but there were some pictures of him that had been shown to the searchers. Emmalie could not imagine what would possess anyone to murder Leah in cold blood; it made no sense at all.

On Monday, after school, Emmalie called Will to check in. Their world was such a sad place right now, and they each needed a friend. Emmalie told Will she had some more research to do on the computer, and she had a lead on an herb that could be found in one specific area of the forest. According to Quileute legend, it provided temporary invisibility to anyone who could manage to ingest the vile-tasting stuff. Carlisle thought it sounded dubious, but right now it was all anyone had to work with. None of them would reject anything, no matter how far-fetched, at this point.

Meanwhile, Carlisle was meeting with Rachel Black's husband, Paul, at his Forks architectural office. Paul was arguably the most volatile of the Quileute shapeshifters, but he had great respect for Carlisle. Together, they were making tentative plans to construct a medical clinic on the reservation. Dr. Cullen would donate his time to treat the pack members, and he hoped that some day his granddaughter would join him there. Carlisle had been tossing the idea around for years now, but the time had come to act. And now he had a name for the clinic: The Leah Clearwater Memorial Clinic.

Emmalie was zeroing in on her research. She had found a picture of the elusive herb, a tiny purple mushroom, and she printed out a copy to be distributed to the members of the search party. If this was the way Brad was becoming invisible, he would have to replenish his supply. The stuff had a short shelf life, and there was quite a complicated process to render it effective. By the end of the day, all the searchers had a copy of the picture. It would have taken human researchers months to find it in the forest, but these hunters were superhuman as well as determined.

It didn't take long. By Tuesday morning, Quil had found the herb, growing at the base of a large redwood tree. They concentrated their search to make sure there were no other patches in the vicinity and were soon convinced that this was the only source. The searchers, in shifts, settled in to wait.

Carlisle and Edward were on guard when Brad appeared, seemingly out of thin air. He was disoriented and took a moment to register the two vampires standing guard beneath the tree. I was obvious, even in the gloom, that they were other than human, with teeth bared and murder in their yellow eyes.

Carlisle held up a hand. "Edward, call Embry. This is his fight, not ours." Embry appeared on the run, in human form. He asked "Why?" Brad was terrified at this point, and he didn't even bother to deny it. He said that Leah had happened by and had seen him harvesting the mushrooms. Embry was infuriated. "That's it? You murdered an innocent, beautiful human being for those stupid herbs?"

Embry noticed that Brad kept glancing uneasily at the vampires. "Are you worrying about my friends? You might have already guessed that they're genuine, blood-sucking vampires. Well, the good news is that they're not going to hurt you. I'm the bad news. I'll give you more than you gave Leah – a running start. So RUN!" With that, he leapt, phasing into wolf form in midair, as the Cullens turned and walked away.

The funeral was a solemn affair, performed at dusk around a sacred fire, as most of the Quileute rituals were. Charlie, who had grown close to Sue in the years since her husband died, stood at her side along with Bella and Emmalie. None of the shape shifting tribe members seemed to be at the grave site. A slight movement prompted Bella to turn and look over her shoulder, to the top of the rise. The sight that greeted had never been seen before and would become part of the new legend.

Shoulder to shoulder, silhouetted in an unbroken line against the full moon, stood Carlisle, Embry, Emmett, Jacob, Alice, Paul, Jasper, Seth, Edward, Quil, Esme, Jared, Rosalie, and Sam, all united for that moment to bid Leah a peaceful journey, as an unearthly howl pierced the night.


End file.
